<$BlogRSDURL$>

writing when I should be sleeping

Wednesday, January 26, 2005

A couple of days into school and its Australia Day which is a public holiday. School is pretty cool and fun. Though most of the stuff being taught are things which I have learned, there are some new learnings. A huge blockage has been identified and that is financials or freaking numbers. There was this 10 min period where a lecturer was talking about some financial figures and my mind went *poof*. It just totally shut down refusing to make sense of any of the figures. I think I would either have to make an extra effort or keep up the boozing with friends to drown it into submission. Gonna hit the gym later, getting fat from all those beers and wine.

Saturday, January 22, 2005

A couple of beers, some wine. maybe more than a couple, much much more. :) Some heavy duty socialising and its the end of the orientation. A couple of friendships are budding and new stories and cultures are learned. The orientation has strengthened my belief that an MBA at Melbourne Business School is one of the best decision I have made in my life.

For one, I would never have the chance to meet so many different cultures and brilliant minds if I has stayed at home. Brazil, China, England, Ireland, Japan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Netherlands, Singapore,........ 33 countries from 90+ students. Its hard yo beat this kind of diversity.

My criteria for a wonderful business school has always been having a wonderful group of students, superb learning and teaching environment and a well-connected career services. Now that I know I am studying with vibrant go-getters who know how to enjoy a beer and wine or two dozens, all that its left is to affirm that the school has a brilliant teaching system and a robust career services. At least I am sure that A$16666.66 of my SA$50000.00 are well spent.

Work will officially start in 2 days time, I have enjoyed my break and its time to get serious. Its a wonderful way to start my MBA and I hope the journey will be as perfect as the start. :)


Tuesday, January 18, 2005

First day of orientation begins. Herded like cattle into the registration process, its a boring boring day except for the new faces and vibrant personalities newly aquainted. Did I mention one of my classmates used to work for a meat processing company? the herding must have seen familiar.

Now something that majorly pissed me off was that they got my com username and email username wrong. Okay, so I have heard some unfavourable reports about the admin of the whole uni but I did not expect them to screw up something on the first day! OH well, such stuff happens.

Having a splitting headache due to not getting enough sleep. The coffee aparently wasn't strong enough to keep my mind from wandering during some library introductions. Books I have arranged for a couple of classmates should arrive by tomorrow and its the start of a more exciting day....... I hope.

Sunday, January 16, 2005

I puked my guts out just a couple of hours ago, but oh boy was the process of getting there fun. A nice Greek restaurant with wonderful service with great MBA friends and the poison of too many bottles of red wine. I have never went into a restaurant where you do not get to see a menu and yet fantastic food is served. The chief waiter is grouchy about the usage of handphone which means you can only concentrate on food, wine and the company. The food was great and the company was magnificent. What more can I ask for? Well, everything was going great until I puked on the table, sat on the kerb puking and puked on the door of a cab. I thinked I managed to set a new puking record. But I do have a partner in crime who after drinking did quite a lot of stuff that made my puking pale in comparison. He managed a hip gyrating stunt lying on the floor, ran wildly across the park and pushed me to the ground when I attempted to help him up. Kudos to the friends who have to look after us two drunkards. I just hope the restaurant does not kick me out the next time I visit.
All Hail the President of the Indulgence club!!!

Friday, January 14, 2005

In my opinion, a huge part of the MBA is learning from your peers. And oh boy do we have diverse and colourful characters at MBS. A certain course mate has a turn in U.S. with a fake ID and another have managed to scare off a bunch of illegal immigrants in the desert. Its so refreshing to meet, hear and learn from the different people. Although I am struggling to remember all the names, I am proud to say I have done relatively well with th 15 or so classmates I have managed to meet. Its more than what I would have expected although home is sorely missed. I miss the outings with 22, siting at cafes and going to the movies with friends, chilling out at coffeeshop over a 70cents cuppa and the bantering with the family.

My experience in Aussie, I have gotto give it 2 thumbs up. People here are so friendly and services at restaurants are magnificient. Not the kind of you better hurry up and leave kinda attitude given by most Singaporean waiting staff. Every outing to a restaurant is truly a joy even if the chicken rice and roti pratas back home are not easily available here.

Orientation will formally begin next week and from then on its full speed ahead. Energy tanks has been filled but I figured I still have to work past the initial inertia. Have been invited by apartment mates to go bush walking at the daedendongs (I think thats the spelling) tomorrow and I am really excited by this.

And you blog readers should really leave me a comment or sumthin to let me know who you are. I have over a thousand hits, and although 700 of it are probably my own doing, there have to be at least a couple of you out there. Step out and identify yourself, I promise I won't bite........... hard. :p

Thursday, January 13, 2005

Just shifted to my permanent room today. Kinda sad coz my temp room got a washing machine left behind by the previous tenant, now i gotto do all washing in the common room. Shucks. And my room is facing the sun, which means i get PLENTY of sunlight= microwave. And the aircon emits a foul musky smell. But on the flip side, I have a better sofa which no longer makes my ass feel if it was on quicksand. Yes, my previous sofa was that bad. And I have a spectacular view though with all the noise and buzz of the city. MEt some of the MBA class mates for a bite of pizza and a couple of beers today. Life is getting better. Hope this is the first of many beers and gatherings. :) Been able to do some work although not much. My apartment looks like a warzone now. Heck shifting all my unpacked stuff from one apartment to another took me more than 5 trips. Everyone I met seems very nice, and I hope things stay that way. I do hope the competition in class will be good natured friendly competition. A logical assumption of MBA ppl will be a lot of Alpha types and when too many Alpha are in the building, conflicts will occur. This is the time I hope my counselling, negotiation and arbitration skills can be put into good use. Unless I morph into my Mr. Hyde personality. :p Melbourne's weather is freaky, hot in the day and cold at night. And I forgot to bring my pda synchro disk which is shitty. Again I am bubbling incoherently becoz of the sleep deprivation. But all in all, the rush to get settled down is nearing end. Its time to start warming the laptop and sharpening the pencils. "A tiny step by me, a huge leap into the future" - I hope ~ Denny.

Friday, January 07, 2005

Just got my internet connection up yesterday. Not as fast as I would have like it but I am connected to the world. I am no longer like tt Tom Hank character on Castaway. No more talking to the microwave!!!! woohoo. Met Phua who is also a MBS FT student from Singapore like me and a couple of his pals today. Am invited to a gathering which I really hope to attend but have gotto get my video con up first. Hope to finish it by tonight. Would you believe it? Its Friday night and I am stuck with nowhere to go in my apartment!

Come to think of it I am mostly doing that in Singapore, but at least I have the option to go out. Here, I do not even have the option. And the worse part is I am dying to go out to have some fun before sch starts. Oh well, hope things pick up soon.

And ya, the deal for the consulting has come to naught because my prof has decided not to participate in it. Kinda disappointed and relieve at the same time. Disappointed because I missed a golden opportunity to make a difference and relieve because I do not have to juggle two things at the same time. Well life goes on. :)

Going for the pre-orientation next week at MBS if most admin stuff are settled by then. Thats all folks.

Monday, January 03, 2005

Arrived in Melbourne on the 27th dec 2004. The weather's really freaky these couple of days. IT is supposed to be summer but when me and my mate from brisbane headed down to st.kilda, there was a couple fo hailstorms. Yep, hailstorms in summer. Really cold and have no use for the sleeveless and short sleeve summer clothing I bought. So ppl coming here better brace yourself. Have settled down in arrow on swanston but they have given me a temp apartment and I cannot get my internet and phone up which is making me really crazy. Feel like a hermit. Sitting in an internet cafe and doing stuff is really sukky. Gotto speak to the apartment ppl when they come back from their long hols. Other than that I have spend the time eating and travelling. Put on 3 kg while I am here. Lucky for me, there is a gym in my apartment. Managed to do a little workout yesterday. Thats abt it I guess, my pre-mba experience, times almost up in the internet cafe. Should update more when I get my personal line.

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?